Spring Chinook and steelhead share the Oregon stage as May temperatures warm

What's Biting

What's Next

**Temperatures and flow in the coming days**

With the gauge holding at 64°F and 20,900 cfs as of Sunday, conditions sit in the transitional zone between spring Chinook prime time and the accelerating summer pattern. If regional warming trends continue into late May, mainstem temperatures may push toward the upper 60s within a week — still fishable for salmon, but a signal to shift emphasis toward deeper water and cooler tributary mouths. Monitor the gauge closely; late-season snowmelt events can spike flows quickly on upper Columbia drainages and push fish off their usual lies.

**Columbia targeting strategy**

As mainstem water warms, spring Chinook concentrate in deeper tailouts, cooler confluences, and the shaded downstream edges of large pools. Trolling herring or anchovy rigs under a flasher in the 15–30 foot range is a proven mid-river approach during the warming midday period. With the New Moon in play through early this week, the darkest predawn window — roughly 90 minutes before first light — is the highest-percentage time to find fish moving actively near the surface. Plan to be on the water before sunrise and be prepared to drop down as light and temperature climb.

**Rogue River timing**

The Rogue's spring Chinook run is typically in full swing through mid-May, and summer steelhead begin moving through the lower and middle river in earnest now. At 64°F, both species will be most active in the first few hours of daylight before temperatures peak. Side-drifting cured roe under a float through seam water and pool tailouts is a go-to for both species; swing anglers should focus on the swifter transition water at riffle heads during low-light conditions.

**Weekend planning window**

The New Moon phase this week means minimal lunar pull and genuinely dark nights — ideal for low-light bite windows at dawn and dusk both Saturday and Sunday. If air temperatures rise into the mid-60s or higher over the weekend, expect Chinook and steelhead to drop into deeper, slower water by mid-morning. Check current flow updates before launching, as spring snowmelt can alter conditions quickly. Boat access is generally good at current flow levels, but verify local put-in conditions at your planned launch.

Context

Mid-May typically marks the heart of the spring Chinook season on both the Columbia and Rogue systems. On the Columbia, the spring run historically peaks between late April and late May, with mainstem fish pushing toward upper-river and Snake River tributary spawning grounds. A water temperature of 64°F at this point in the season runs on the warmer side of what is typical — most years, the mainstem Columbia through the Portland and Bonneville reach hovers in the mid-50s to low 60s in mid-May, though readings vary substantially by year and regional snowpack depth.

On the Rogue, the spring Chinook run is a marquee event for southern Oregon anglers, and May sits squarely in its prime. Summer steelhead begin entering the Rogue in measurable numbers from late May onward, so the coming week or two represents the crossover window where both species can realistically be targeted in a single day — a seasonal coincidence that draws considerable angler attention.

No sources in today's intel payload filed a year-over-year comparison for the Columbia or Rogue, so a direct vintage assessment is not possible from this data. What the gauge does tell us: 20,900 cfs represents moderated spring runoff — neither a blow-out flood stage that flushes fish into eddies nor the low summer trickle that concentrates them in predictable pools. That moderate flow is generally favorable for boat access and for fish distributed across a range of lies rather than stacked in a single obvious slot. If the warmer-than-typical temperature holds through the end of May, it may accelerate the transition to summer-pattern fishing by a week or two compared to an average year — worth watching as the season progresses.